Without the baby, I would have opted for a self-guided tour or even a group tour organized by the local tourist office, but today we went with a private guide. Knowing we needed to go at an unpredictable pace, Jana and I decided planning our own itinerary was the way to go.

If you like a side of history with your travel, you'll get it at these inns and hotels that all have an intriguing past. Some are as tame as a former convent while others have scandalous previous lives like, say, serving as the den of iniquity for an infamous Colombian drug lord. Renovations have transformed them all into visitor-friendly places with comfortable rooms that may distract from some dubious beginnings. But you can't completely wipe away the fingerprints of criminals or the memories of a Titanic survivor. So go ahead and book a stay at these 10 hotels and be transported back to dreamy Victorian days or dark medieval nights.